Top 5 Things to Do in Argentina

Argentina should be on every traveler's list, especially when visiting South America. The people and the culture are fascinating, and there is a ton to eat, drink, see and do. Below is our list of the top 5 must-do's when visiting this wonderful country.

5. See a Tango Show in Buenos Aires

"Music goes in my ears, is filtered through my heart, and comes out through my feet." – Dany Garcia, Argentine tango maestro

Tango has magic. In fact, authentic tango does not include any choreography but instead is entirely spontaneous and includes a sequence of steps that the men indicate to their tango partners almost telepathically. In addition, tango tells stories of Buenos Aires and each neighborhood within it.

Many of the shows available are very affordable and can include dinner as well, so you can make an evening of it. We visited Madero Tango, which included dinner along with the show. The food was a prix fixe menu and included unlimited drinks and an appetize and dessert. People arrive late, and the shows typically start after 10:00 pm but aren't overly long. The show we saw lasted a bit over an hour, which was perfect given the late start time. Highly entertaining and gave us a good feel for the entertainment and culture of Buenos Aires.

4. Do a city tour of Buenos Aires

No trip to Argentina would be complete without a visit to the capital city of Buenos Aires, and a city tour is a great way to get your bearings and the lay of the land when you arrive. City tours are abundant and accessible, reasonably priced, and offered in English and Spanish. We had a free day the morning after we came and signed up for a small group city tour for the same day. It ended up being six of us and lasted about 4 hours in total.

The first stop along the way was the Plaza de Mayo. At one end of the plaza is the Cabildo of Buenos Aires, the old seat of the country's government. Although previously in this location there has been a Cabildo from the city's foundation, the current building began to be built in 1725. The Cabildo has witnessed numerous critical historical events, such as the May Revolution. Undoubtedly, this building is one of the essential patrimonies in the history of Argentina.

At the opposite end of the Plaza de Mayo is Casa Rosada, the stately mansion and office to the President of Argentina. The defining characteristic of this structure is the unique baby pink color making it one of the most emblematic buildings in Buenos Aires. Legend has it that there were not many colors available with which to paint during its construction at the end of the 19th century. So, they painted the building pink because the color was formed when mixing lime and cow blood: a color very used at that time. It definitely makes it stand out!

After departing Plaza de Mayo, we headed next to Caminito, Buenos Aires' famously colored street museum. This famous pedestrian street is made distinct by the colorfully painted houses and its deep historical and cultural significance in La Boca. It was a bit touristy for obvious reasons, but we found it very charming and unique. Don't visit La Boca after dark – It's not an overly safe area after the sun goes down. But, during the daytime it is lovely.

From Caminito, we then headed to the final stop at Recoleta Cemetery, one of the most famous cemeteries in South America. This cemetery commemorates some of Argentina's most celebrated people, home to over 6,400 statues, sarcophagi, coffins, and crypts. It was a strangely beautiful and unique place, with seemingly endless rows of famous deceased Argentines. The most famous resident here is Eva Peron, former first lady to the President portrayed by Madonna in the 1996 film Evita, and the song "Don't Cry for Me Argentina ."It would have taken days and days to see the entire cemetery, but we hit the highlights and got some photos as the sun was beginning to set, and we were starting to get hungry.

The Buenos Aires city tour overall was a lot of fun. Our guide was excellent and very informative, and we got to see a lot of the different neighborhoods and parts of town in a single afternoon. Highly recommend.

3. Go wine tasting in Mendoza

One of our favorite parts of travel is experiencing each country and each region's unique culture, specifically the local food and beverages. Many of our retreats include these activities because of how much you can learn through eating and drinking and the history of what makes it unique. Mendoza was no exception, and as avid wine enthusiasts, we knew we had to try some of the local red wines, which did not disappoint. Mendoza wine tasting is a must for your trip if you love wine.

After breakfast, our guide picked us up at our hotel and drove us to Lujan in the Mendoza wine region, which was maybe 15-20 minutes outside of the city center. The entire area is hot and dry and similar to the famous wine regions in Northern California. It was a private tour, just the two of us along with the guide. We aren't avid cyclists but still found the ride very mellow and leisurely. Although it started as a hot sunny day, finding shade was easy, and the ride was fun and relaxing.

We visited three wineries, but it was a slow leisurely pace and took most of the day. We had plenty of water, as well as lunch, so crashing our bikes was not too big of a concern. We started feeling a bit sleepy by the third winery, but this activity was an absolute highlight for us. TIP – Mendoza is famous for producing the most Malbec in the world. The Malbec's here are fantastic. Also, make sure you try the Torrontes (White table wine) as well as Bornada. These were new for us, and we loved both.

2. Experience an Argentine Food/Wine Experience

Vegetarians beware – Argentines LOVE their steak. Thankfully so do we, so we signed up for not just one but two separate food & wine experiences. We've done food experiences and cooking classes around the world (literally), and Argentina absolutely lived up some of the best that we have done. If you love food (especially steak), there are a bunch of different food experiences you should try. We did The Argentina Experience and had a blast. We played a game to identify smells before making three various Argentine cocktails. We made our own empanadas, had filet mignon, and got to try mate, the traditional South American caffeine-infused drink. We met some fellow Americans, and the night ended flying by. So sign up for a food & wine experience while you're here. You won't regret it!

1. Hike Patagonia

Yes, the number one reason to visit Argentina should be to hike Patagonia. Located at the very southern tip of the country is El Calafate, a tiny and remote town situated on the border between the Santa Cruz plateau and the Andes Mountain Range, where you can fly in. From here, take the 3-hour bus ride to El Chalten, the Argentine trekking capital, where you'll find the trailhead to Laguna De Los Tres and Torre Lagoon. The scenery is breathtaking, and the pictures do not do it justice.

We hiked all 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) in a single day. Not for the faint of heart, and honestly, only something I would recommend for the most avid hikers. There are several campgrounds along the way, and if you could break up the hike over a couple of days, you'd likely have much more time and not be near as worn out at the end.